June/July 2009 Issue

See all presentations from the June Council meeting.

Conservation Could Meet Most of the Region's Future Load Growth

Tom Eckman, conservation resources manager, and Charlie Grist, senior analyst, presented (370k PowerPoint) their assessment of the potential savings from energy efficiencies. Acquiring 1,200 average megawatts of conservation by 2014 could meet 50% of the region's load growth, and acquiring 5,800 average megawatts by 2029 could meet 85% of load growth. The Council continues to work with the Bonneville Power Administration and utilities to determine the region's conservation targets.

Council Approves Fish Accord Projects to Improve Supplementation Programs and Enhance Sockeye Abundance

The Council approved two accord projects on condition the sponsors provide additional information to the independent science panel that reviews projects for the Council's fish and wildlife program. The fish accord projects were agreed on by federal, tribal, and state governments. The Basinwide Supplementation project (80k PDF) is exploring the long-term effects of hatchery supplementation on naturally spawning salmon, and the Sockeye Studies project (50k PDF) is examining the limiting factors affecting Okanagan and Wenatchee sockeye salmon.

Utility Representatives Give Their Perspective on the Sixth Power Plan

Bill Gaines and Craig Smith (1mb PowerPoint), of Tacoma Public Utilities and Snohomish PUD; Scott Corwin (170k PowerPoint), Public Power Council; and Dick Adams (4mb PowerPoint), Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee provided feedback on the developing Sixth Power Plan. While agreeing that the region should set aggressive conservation targets, overall, they thought that the Council's targets were overly optimistic. Other issues of concern included the region's need to build capacity and integrating renewable resources into the power system.